A few weeks later on the outskirts of Caxton City, near the US-Frederickston border.

 

 

This is the spot Arnborg told me to go to... Hm, doesn't look right, but I think I should take a look...

 

 

The key fits, but there's nothing but crates and cardboard boxes in here... unless, of course...

 

 

...they're just here to hide something.

 

 

Computer voice: "Scanning..."

An automatic security door? Huh. He really thought about everything.

 

 

Arnborg (over a speaker): "Ah, Jenny. So you finally decided to show up."

Jennifer: "Fancy place you have here. Now, would you be so kind as to open up?"

Arnborg (over a speaker): "Of course. Just a moment."

 

 

This guy isn't taking any risks...

 

 

Jennifer: "Another security door, really? It's not like this is a contamination room.... right?"

Arnborg: "Better safe than sorry. I told you, we're up against some serious foes here."

Jennifer: "Yeah, yeah, I know, just open up the other door."

 

 

Arnborg: "The door only opens up with my specific fingerprint on a button. No one who I don't want to get inside gets inside - at least not without a rocket launcher or some explosives. So, what do you say?"

Jennifer: "So you're saying I have to do ask you to open up every time I wanna get in?!?"
Arnborg: "I.... uhm... yeah, okay, I can update the data if you want to include yours as well.

 

 

Jennifer: "But I gotta say, it is impressive. I didn't know we were working with this kind of a budget."

Arnborg: "We aren't, really. I just cashed in some favors I had left over from my time as a governor and agent. But at least now, the Hawthornes won't find us that easily."

Jennifer: "But if they're Americans, and we're in the States now, doesn't that mean they're actually more likely to find us?"

Arnborg: "No. They suspect we're in Frederickston. They'll never look for us at their doorstep. Anyway, here's a little living room. I expect we will be spending large amounts of time down here, so I figured we might as well make it somewhat comfortable. And I'm sure you've already seen the training area when you entered."

Jennifer: *sigh* "Yeah, anyway. Enough showing off. Why am I here?"

Arnborg: "Right. Let's get to work. You remember Willie over there?"

Jennifer: "You managed to drag him along?"

Arnborg: "Nothing a few syringes couldn't handle. Anyway, he's here for interrogation. I believe he can tell us something about that mysterious woman you've read about in the Hawthorne mansion. I waited for you before doing that so you would have the full picture on the situation."

 

 

William: "Back again? And you brought your bitch, as I see..."

Jennifer: "Careful, big boy. You still have one ball left that I can kick in."

Arnborg: "We have questions, Willie. And I believe you can answer them."

William: *laughs* "And why exactly would I want to do that?"

Arnborg: "Because with just one call, I can let them haul your sorry ass back to London so you can rot in some dungeon."

William: "Yeah... maybe... except they would do the same to you too, right? Not to mention that you'd lose your most accessible source of information if you got rid of me."

Arnborg: "...fucking bastard. Alright, what do you want?"

William: "Calm down, Arnie. I'm not a diehard loyalist, you should know that. I'm a simple Vampire, a hired muscle. With simple... desires." *laughs*

Jennifer: "I don't think I like where this is going..."

Arnborg: "Elaborate."

William: "You know, the Hawthornes offered me plenty of pleasures to stay loyal to them. All the blood that I wanted, all the fancy clothing and liquors... and all the women I wanted. But you know, ever since I've been imprisoned here, I had to do the last part all by myself. If you want me to talk, I'm gonna need your hot little lackey here to help me out with that..."

Jennifer: "You've got to be kidding me... I'm not even five minutes back in this bullshit and I already remember why I wanted to leave in the first place."

Arnborg: "Wait, hold your horses there, Mr. Libido. What if you're just trying to scam us? You don't even know what we're trying to ask you, you might not even know the answer!"

William: "I suppose that is true. Well then. Give it a shot and I'll tell you if I know anything about it."

Jennifer: "You're not seriously considering prostituting me for this info, right?"

Arnborg: "Calm down. So. We're looking for a woman that has been referred to as Jane Doe. To our knowledge, she is the only woman who ever managed to escape Valerian Erhler. Do you know where she might be and what made her so special?"

William: "Oh, the Doe report. I remember writing that. What a shit job. One of my worst ones. Yes, I can tell you about that. But not before I get paid."

Jennifer: "How can we be sure he's not lying?"

Arnborg: "Good point. The initial report was written by Valerian, after which you must've hunted her down. Surely you've read it. What was in it?"

William: "Uhh... she fought with Valerian and then fled.... I think there was something about some test results, too? I don't know, all this modernistic high tech mumbo jumbo confuses me."

Jennifer: "As much as I hate to admit it, that is what was in the report."

William: "Heh. Seems like we two got a date, then. Would you mind leaving us some privacy once you've opened the door, Arnie?"

Jennifer: "Oh, please. Can't we just sell him out to the Hawthornes, claim that he's a traitor?"

Arnborg: "If you don't want to actively torture him, then I think we have to agree to his demands."

Jennifer: "'We' is a funny term considering it's always me who does the dirty work. Why don't you do it?"

William: "Even if I would swing that way, which I don't, Arnie's ass would be the last that I would want to stick it into."

Arnborg: "Oh nooo. My heart is *broken*! Anyway, I think we should discuss this before we take any steps."

Jennifer: "For once, we are of the same opinion."

 

 

Jennifer: "You aren't seriously considering this, are you?! This is pimping, you know that?!? You're using me as a prostitute for your information."

Arnborg: "I meant what I've said. I'm done giving you any orders. It's entirely up to you what you want to do. However, I don't think we have any other choice here if we want to find out who this Jane Doe is. Once again, you have to weigh out just how bad you want to proceed in this thing."

Jennifer: *sigh* "Come on, surely you can teach me some way for me to read his mind and find out what we want this way?"

Arnborg: "We are Creatures of the Night, not Jedi Knights. If such an ability exists, which I am not aware of, then neither of us is nearly powerful enough to do that."

Jennifer: "Please, I mean... just look at this guy!"

Arnborg: "I know. He's a brainless gorilla, and a misogynist. Well... at least I thought he was brainless, but he actually thought of a way to hold us ransom. See it this way, at least he won't want to cuddle afterwards."

Jennifer: "Oh, great, there's nothing more of a turn-on than a man using me as nothing but fuckmeat!"

Arnborg: "....fuckmeat, hm?"

Jennifer: "What?"

Arnborg: "I have an idea. An idea on how to turn this into a roughly equivalent exchange."

Jennifer: "Huh?"

Arnborg: "You fuck him as a Succubus. Drain him. You did it before with strangers, after all."

Jennifer: "I... didn't know that was possible. I mean... he's a Vampire... surely you can't drink each others' blood?"

Arnborg: "Correct. But it's not his blood that you're after, remember? Plus, Willie is pretty powerful, compared to me at least. If you would drain him, this would only make you stronger."

Jennifer: "I could go completely wild on him and he wouldn't have any reason to complain... I could even lose my memory of it... this is actually genius, you're right!"

Arnborg: "Great, we have a plan then. Now, I will enter some sleeping gas into his chamber so that you can safely enter. I'll be waiting outside for you to, uhm... finish."

Jennifer: "The less we talk about it the better. Let's get this done with."

 

 

William: "What's taking you so long there? I'm already getting soft again... wait.. that smell... oh man.... Arnborg you fucking.... ughh...."

 

 

Jennifer: "Seriously?"

William: "W-wha...?"

 

 

Jennifer: "Not only do I have to fuck a worthless piece of shit like you, I also have to wait for you to get up yourself?!"

William: *laughs* "So you did take up my offer..."

 

 

Jennifer: "Shut up. Take off your top. I want something to look at."

 

 

Jennifer: "I bet you treat your women like shit, do you? I bet you just deepthroat them or fuck them in the ass and then throw them away. Well today, you're not getting any of that!"

 

 

Jennifer: "It's your tough luck that I'm not that starved these days... which means I can take my sweet time before I jump onto the worthless piece of junk that you call your dick..."

 

 

Jennifer: "At least your tongue is good for something... but I don't even wanna look at your dick, ugh... let me switch around..."

 

 

Jennifer: "Now, since I'm going to place myself on top of your miserable meat-whip... I want you to know for certain that I absolutely fucking hate you. Seriously, I'm thinking of starting to drink after this so I can forget the memory of being in touch with your body without hurting it. I don't even know if you dislike the way I talk right now, but I don't really care. Putting you down is the only pleasure I get out of this. Otherwise, this is just like getting food for me."

William: "As if you would be the fir-..."

 

 

Jennifer: "Shut the fuck up and start fucking!"

 

 

Gosh, get it over with already... so much for "lets get this over with", huh?

 

Jennifer: "Already finished? What a weakling you are, for such a supposedly strong guy..."

William: "With such pre-..."

 

 

Jennifer: "What exactly is between your ears that you cannot comprehend a sentence as simple as 'shut up'?"

 

 

Okay, how do I get out of here now?

William: "So, still hungry? I could certainly go for...-"

 

 

Jennifer: "Seriously, are you that dense, or just deaf?"

Manuel wasn't lying... this finger snap thing can do wonders!

 

 

About an hour later...

 

 

Arnborg: "Judging by your horny smile, I'd say our part of the deal is done. Now, who is Jane Doe?"

William: "Honestly?" *laughs* "I don't know. But thanks for the ride, that was the best Sex I've had in years. You sure know how to please a man!"

Jennifer: "That's it, I'm getting inside there and choke the answer out of you!"

William: "The choking part was kinda hot, actually. Alas, you don't have to do that again. I may not know who Jane Doe is, but I know a few other things."

Jennifer: "...start talking."

Arnborg: "How about you describe how you met her?"

William: "The report that I got mentioned that she managed to fight and defeat Valerian, so I knew right away that she couldn't have been a mere human. When I headed off to look for her, the boy gave me a drop of her blood, so I could track her down. Her trail led through all of Roin and led me to a place in Havenburg."

Jennifer: "Havenburg... that's where...-"

Arnborg (whispering): "Sh. He doesn't have to know."

William: "I almost managed to catch her, when her trail led me into a human house. If you ask me, that's where it was supposed to end; Kill the family living there, and capture the girl so that she doesn't go beyond. The Hawthornes thought differently, of course. 'No infringement on the humans' and all that bullcrap."

Arnborg: "They simply didn't want unnecessary attention caused by a bloodbath."

William: "But the unnecessary attention of an escaped prisoner was good enough, apparently. Anyway, that's where I stopped. I was ordered to observe the house, but she never left it, it seems. Not until I was called off to get to you, anyway."

Jennifer: "Wait... how long ago was that? When were you called onto her?"

William: "Have you ever tried to keep track of time when in a prison cell?"

Jennifer: "Actually, I did! Thanks to your friend Valerian!"

William: "Touché. Anyway, if I'm not mistaken, it must've happened like... three months ago? She might still be there for all I know. Might have also known that I've followed her and taken the first opportunity to move on."

Arnborg: "Did you ever actually see her?"

William: "Once or twice, through the windows of the house. Very unique appearance, you'll know it's her when you see her. The things I would've done to that girl when I would've catched her..."

Jennifer: "Is that all you know?"

William: "Apparently, the family living in the house didn't seem to be bothered by her presence. Well, the woman at least. The husband, I'm not sure, I've never seen them in the same place."

Arnborg: "Okay, last question then: Do you know where this family is?"

William: "On Grenadier street 14."

Arnborg: "Alright then. That's our destination."

 

 

Arnborg: "Hey, uhm..."

Jennifer: "What is it?"

Arnborg: "I just wanted to say, I know you've been very hesitant to that decision... but the information he just gave us is really worth something. You did good work there today."

Jennifer: "...thanks. That's... unexpected, coming from you."

Arnborg: "Is everything alright?"

Jennifer: "You know, for a moment, before he said the address, I mean, I was worried that this Jane Doe fled to my family for a moment. They're the last ones I'd want to see get involved in this."

Arnborg: "Yeah... thinking of Celine, I can relate... but your Mom... she's pretty tough. She endured much to live the life she leads today. How... are things with Manuel?"

Jennifer: "They're... they're good, honestly. It feels like he really understands me."

Arnborg: "You know I don't trust him, but if you do, then you need to hold on to that. Anyway, let's go, we have a family to visit."

Jennifer: "Wait... you're coming along?!"

Arnborg: "Yep. I have a feeling this mission works better if we co-operate on the ground."